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Mauricio Rua vs. Forrest Griffin 1
The fight was Rua's UFC debut, and he was a heavy favorite coming into the fight. As seems to happen a lot, Griffin pulled off the upset, earning the right to be a coach on the seventh season of The Ultimate Fighter reality show and afterwards a title shot at light-heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson. The Fight The first round began. They exchanged strikes early and Griffin landed a good leg kick. Shogun went for the takedown, defended by Griffin. Griffin took an upkick and went to get on top of Shogun but they scrambled and stood. Griffin landed a leg kick. Shogun landed a leg kick. Griffin landed a leg kick. The crowd chanted 'Forrest'. Shogun got the takedown on Griffin and went into half-guard, but Griffin pulled full guard. Shogun landed an elbow from the top. Shogun postured up but Griffin dragged him down. Griffin looked for a triangle, but pulled full guard again. The fight stood back up and Griffin landed an uppercut. Shogun landed a hard shot. Shogun tried ahead kick. Griffin landed a leg kick. They exchanged brutal strikes. Griffin go the takedown and took Shogun's back. Shogun rolled out and pulled full guard. Shogun threw good elbows from the bottom. Griffin stood and let Shogun up. Griffin landed a body kick. They exchanged kicks. Griffin landed a good left hook. There was a big mouse on Shogun's forehead. Shogun went for the takedown and got it, but Griffin stood up immediately. Shogun got a leg, but Griffin fought out of it. Shogun got the takedown. Shogun attempted to pass, but he was in half guard. Shogun stood and went back in but Griffin got his back, flipped it and got into Shogun's guard. He stood and went for side control but the round ended. The round appeared to have been won by Forrest Griffin. The crowd loudly chanted 'Forrest'. The cut man checked the big knot on Shogun's forehead. The second round began. Shogun landed a leg kick and then a body shot. Griffin landed some leg kicks. Shogun got the takedown from a single. Griffin went for a guillotine but let it go and pulled full guard. Griffin did an excellent job of controlling Shogun's wrists and posture. Shogun landed a hard shot from the top, and then another, and another. Shogun landed an elbow to the bridge of Griffin's nose. Griffin was bloodied up now. They stood and clinched. Griffin sweeped the leg and got the takedown into half-guard and landed hard shots from the top. He stood, dived back in, got Shogun's back. Forrest broke and backed up. Griffin was cut on the bridge of the nose. Shogun tried for a takedown but Griffin got his back. They stood. Shogun landed a body kick. Griffin landed an inside leg kick. Shogun landed a high body kick. Shogun went for the takedown, defended by Griffin. Griffin stood and landed a strike. Griffin landed a good jab. Shogun seemed tired. Griffin landed a body shot. The crowd chanted 'Forrest'. Shogun landed a pair of hard strikes now. Shogun weakly shot in and Griffin took his back again with one minute remaining. Shogun pulled half guard after he rolled out. Shogun looked exhausted now. Griffin landed good elbows and then some more big shots from the top. He took Shogun's back from the side and isolated Shogun's arm, teeing off. Ten seconds remained. The scond round ended. Rampage watched from the crowd apprehensively. Wanderlei Silva watched as well, looking very concerned for his Chutebox teammate Shogun in the fight. The third round began. Griffin landed a jab. Griffin landed an inside leg kick. Shogun went for the takedown and grabbed the leg, bringing the fight down. Griffin went for a triangle, but Shogun fought it off. Griffin pulled full guard. Shogun landed a good elbow. Griffin grabbed the fence twice and was warned. He did it again. Shogun landed some hard shots from the top. Shogun landed a pair of elbows. Griffin landed some shots from the bottom. Shogun postured up and grabbed the leg but Griffin got Shogun's back. Shogun stood halfway and dragged Griffin back down into his half guard. Griffin landed some hard grinding elbows and body shots from the top. Shogun looked exhausted. Griffin got Shogun's back yet again. Griffin landed a trio of knees to Shogun's kidneys. Shogun pulled it back to half guard. Griffin landed some hard shots from the top. One minute remained. Couture yelled for Griffin to posture up. Griffin got Shogun's back again. Twenty seconds remained. He sank in the rear-naked choke. Shogun tapped out. The fight was over. Forrest Griffin ran around the ring with blood running down from the cut on the bridge of his nose, grinning in celebration. Griffin was so overjoyed that he hugged Joe Rogan when the win was announced.